Hmmm, single vs double stack, grip size, grip angle, grip safety, lots of little lead pellets vs fewer great big lead pellets.........

 

The triggers are considerably different too.

 

The two designs were done by the same guy, around the same time, so they are very similar. The core difference is a Hi Power was designed for 9mm from the get go. It is double stack with up to 16(15+1) rounds of capacity vs a 45 ACP that has a max of 9(8+1) rounds of capacity.

Some people claim the Hi Power is typically more reliable than a 9mm 1911. since the 1911 was designed for 45 ACP, I cannot speak to that personally. I will say that my Hi Power has been extremely reliable. Both guns are very accurate and have single action triggers.

The Hi Power, however, does not have a grip safety as a 1911 does. Instead it has the very annoying magazine safety. Basically, the gun will not fire without a magazine inserted. Depending on what you use it for, this may be quite annoying. It is simple enough to remove it if you are in to modifying guns. The magazine safety also adds a sloppy, spongy takeup at the beginning of the trigger pull on a Hi Power.

 

The Browning hi power corrected jmbs earlier design flaws in the 1911

 

Harrumph. There are no flaws! You cannot fix what is not broke.

 

Look more closely. They do look different. I had considered one some time ago just for the bling factor, but my son forced me to buy him a 1911, and now the BHP has been set to the back burner. My opinion, the 1911 shoots better and feels better under power than the BHP, but the BHP doesn't suck, by any means. I just like the 1911, better, and there are a number of caliber choices with it.

 

From watching and talking to early IPSC shooters, they claim the high power was not as durable and robust as the 1911. The metal in the grip area is rather thin also.
However, it was the handgun of a lot of armies for a good period.

 

I own both and shoot my HP regularly, however, I'm up to 5 1911s now and still only one High Power. That ought to tell you something.

Biggest gripe is that the trigger on the HP sucks when compared to a well set up 1911 trigger. LGS owner was baiting me last night with a lightly worked Series 80 Combat Commander. Best darn trigger I have ever felt on a 1911. Broke at 3.6 lbs with no creep no stacking and no over travel. If the gun is still there on Monday (I doubt it), it will be mine.

 

My first centerfire pistol was that HP.

 

That's that special edition Hi Power isn't it?

The one that came out as a limited run in the early 1990s? I remember I bought one too back then. It was a great little gun.

 

Overall, I like the 1911 better. However, the Hi-Power does have a few things I'd like to see on the 1911.

No barrel bushing or barrel link on the Hi-Power seems like a better idea to me, and I sure wish my 1911 had the same field strip take down procedure as the Hi-Power. Ever see an idiot scratch on a Hi-Power?

 

Ever see an idiot scratch on a Hi-Power?

Yep, apparently they made a more proficient idiot......


Dan

 

One was designed as a pistol to meet the requirement of "should not be of less than .45 caliber"

The HP from what I understand was built to meet the needs of the French who wanted a lighter pistol that carried 10+ rounds.

two different sets of requirements, two different platforms... same designer.

MIke.

 

JMB was the original designer, but died before it went into production. A Belgian by the name of Saive made some major changes to the design, resulting in the Hi Power we see today. Strangely, the French never purchased the pistol for their military.

They say that airplanes that look good fly good. If that theory can be applied to pistols the 1911 and the Hi Power qualify. I'm so impressed with my Mark III .40 that I'm leaving it stock with the exception of removing the mag disconnect, a Don Williams trigger job and Spegel grips. Its a very functional, aesthetically pleasing designed, old-school pistol that satisfies in many ways.

 

love the hi-power, just not a fan of the 9mm. I thought about the 40 caliber version, but everytime I look into one, I end up spending the money on another 1911

 

Have 1911s in .45, 9mm & 10mm along with Hi-Powers in 9mm and .40. Like the .40 except for the garage door recoil spring. I'd remove the magazine disconnect but need it in for now if I want to shoot it in IDPA. Was lucky enough to find a second .40 BHP after Browning stopped making them.

 

Both weren't quite created "about" the same time, the 1911 was essentially designed around 1910 and the Hi-Power was in development for some years finally coming out in 1935.
The Hi-Power was also a joint effort by Browning and FN's top designer who continued working on it after Browning died in 1926.

There are substantial differences in the two pistols, aside from caliber.

The Hi-Power uses a linkless barrel, a mag disconnect, has no grip safety, has an entirely different trigger mechanism, has no barrel bushing as noted above, and so on.
It also has a different grip contour that many (me included) find one of the best available, and a double-column higher-cap magazine.

Current Hi-Powers use a cast frame that's stronger & more durable than the earlier forged frames.
And, its trigger pull can be improved.
Denis

 

To make it simple, if you want a SA in 9mm buy a Hi Power, if you want a 45 buy a 1911. Both guns have proved themselves in years of battle and Special Operations uses. Or better yet buy both if you can afford it.

 

I couldn't have said it any better.

 

Own both, love both. My A#1 P35 has a trigger pull of 4#s, Xpress NS, is as accurate as all but one of my 1911s and goes bang with anything I put in it. I find it more carry friendly than my 1911s in that it is slimmer. If you want a 40Cal, buy one if you can find one, discontinued. The trigger pull on mine was good enough that I did nothing with it.

 

The Hi-Power was a joint design/project, till Browning died, after which Saive finished it.
Denis

 

The only problem with the High Power is that it is not a 45.

 

Pretty much. A High Power is 14 rounds, 7.75 inches (vs. 8.5), has a 4.75 inch barrel (sight picture) and is 32 ounces (38 ounces for my GI DW). With the mag release gone and a bit of work they can have a single action trigger that is every bit as good as a 1911. But it is a bit slimmer, smaller, and lighter pistol, so it is easier to carry on a daily basis. I can carry it IWB.

It's not as big as my full size P226, but it is bigger than most compact 9mms, and it's perceived recoil makes it a much better shooting experience than a compact 9mm. And reliable. It eats everything. Probably not as accurate as my P226 but not bad, either, and more fun to shoot.

 

One well placed 9mm will mess up anyone's day at the very least, that's for sure.

Me, I only sorta kinda slightly want a Browning Hi-Power.

But I absolutely had to have each of the 4 1911s I acquired over the last few years, and want still more, many more. The caliber is part of the equation but I find many other things hugely appealing about the gun.

And, you can have a 1911 in 9mm but not a Hi-Power in .45.

 

I am a fan of the Hi-Power, but you have to remember who the pistol was designed for... The French military..

 

I've owned 2 of them, didn't have any problems with either one. Both had lousy triggers and I'm not big on the 9 but I may just have to get another one. They just feel so good in your hand and they are a fine looking pistol.

 

The funny thing is that John Browning initially approached Colt with the design, but in their infinite wisdom they turned it down. JMB was forming a new partnership with Fabrique Nationale at the time so he simply went over to them. The HP never really took off in the USA except for hard-core fans, but it obviously became quite popular with most of the world's armies, especially after WW2, and has been the most ubiquitous military pistol of the 20th Century.

 

And besides that, it got around a lot, too.
Denis

 

So which is more durable and which functions more reliably over long periods of time?

 

Today, I don't know if that's answerable.
Denis

 

Got both

Love both. For years, I wanted a 1911 in 45 and a HiPower, both done by the best smith I could find. I got a Colt Commander in stainless and the HiPower. Each went thru sessions with Jim Garthewaite. Not only is his work absolutely superb, the darn things work every time and even look great. I carry both a bunch. Differences, now that I've used these for some years:
The 1911 is absolutely super. (It's on my hip as I type.) There just aren't any flaws. It's fast into action and wonderfully accurate with an outstnding trigger and great ergos. The HP is also a fantastic shooter, but it does have a bit of a different trigger which takes a little getting used to. However, the ergos are fantastic. Even with the 15+1 double stack, my wife shoots it very well as it still fits her smaller hands extremely well; better than ANY other double stck to the point that it's a perfect match. The only thing I do before I carry it in rotation is work with it for 100+ rounds to get the trigger in my head. With that done, I feel very confident that it will do the job for me. I do tend to carry it more in the summer, as the 9mm may not handle heavy winter clothing quite as well as the 45 round.
The other operational differences have been addressed by previous posts. My disconnect 'safety' went away when Jim put in the new trigger. Good ridence.In summary, they're the same, but different.

 

My wife has 2 Hi Powers, I really don't care for them. My main complaint is the trigger, I just prefer the 1911 trigger. But they are good reliable guns with lots of history.

 

Someone like Don Williams can make the trigger on a Hi-Power just as nice as that of a 1911. He's done both of my HiPower Forties and the triggers are AMAZING!

The HiPower in .40S&W is a very sweet and soft shooting pistol in this caliber.